help with some (dairy?) terminology
Posted Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 3:38 PM

I have heard a few different things from people so I thought I will get more facts from you guys here. =)Thanks to this community I'm getting better with labels and finding how to avoid the ways dairy can sneak into things.

- I realize now that lactose-free milk is NOT vegan. is this because it has the lactose taken out, but the rest of milk ingredients is there? What is the term that tells you this? Is it the caseinate, or sodium caseinate?

- So as long as any item contains sodium casinate or casein, this means it's definitely still not vegan, correct?

- I have had many cafe baristas tell me that drinks such as their cocoa powder, is vegan, but then I see the ingredients and it will say 'nonfat dry milk' or 'milk powder.' and baristas will insist to me that it's non-dairy, sounds incorrect to me!

- lastly, some syrups contain condensed milk, or sweet / unsweet condensed milk. again i think many people tell me its non-dairy because they might assume if it's just in this sauce form, is not the same as pouring a glass of milk. but i do not think that condensation would remove all dairy or make it vegan...

so before i buy any drink that is supposedly 'non-dairy' feel like i need to get more help on these many terms.

RE: help with some (dairy?) terminology
Posted Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 4:13 PM

I'll take a stab at your questions!

"I realize now that lactose-free milk is NOT vegan. is this because it has the lactose taken out, but the rest of milk ingredients is there?"

The lactose is not taken out. Rather, the enzyme lactase is added to the cow's milk. Lactase is the enzyme that people lose as they age.

"So as long as any item contains sodium casinate or casein, this means it's definitely still not vegan, correct?"

Yes, anything with the word casein is derived from an animal's milk.

"I have had many cafe baristas tell me that drinks such as their cocoa powder, is vegan, but then I see the ingredients and it will say 'nonfat dry milk' or 'milk powder.' and baristas will insist to me that it's non-dairy, sounds incorrect to me!"

You are right! The barista is wrong!

"... some syrups contain condensed milk, or sweet / unsweet condensed milk. again i think many people tell me its non-dairy because they might assume if it's just in this sauce form, is not the same as pouring a glass of milk. but i do not think that condensation would remove all dairy or make it vegan..."